The Brád-Cast

Anthony Brady

Workforce Management is often described through numbers, forecasts and KPIs — but behind every spreadsheet is a human story. Hosted by Anthony Brady, this podcast explores the real-world side of Workforce Management, operations leadership, contact centres and business transformation. Drawing from 20+ years at companies including eBay, PayPal, Accenture and WhatsApp, Anthony shares practical insights, honest reflections and conversations about leadership, workplace culture, operational reality and surviving corporate life with your sense of humour intact.

Episodes

  1. 20h ago

    Forecasting

    Forecasting: Predicting Demand or Predicting Ourselves? Forecasting is one of the most talked about disciplines in Workforce Management, yet some of the most important conversations rarely make it into the room. In this episode, I explore the fundamentals of forecasting, from historical data and seasonality to normalisation and outlier management. But I also challenge some of the assumptions that sit beneath many forecasting processes. What happens when poor service levels create repeat contacts that become embedded in the data? Are we forecasting genuine customer demand, or simply the consequences of our own operational decisions? I also take a look at forecasting culture, including the overuse of technical language, the dangers of judging forecasts using hindsight, and why organisations sometimes seem to have multiple versions of the future at the same time. We'll discuss: How operational performance can artificially inflate demand The difference between forecasting and planning Why two teams can produce different forecasts and both be right The role of reforecasting and where it can be misleading Strategic business decisions that change the future after a forecast has been produced Why mature organisations focus on trade-offs rather than blame The real purpose of forecasting in supporting decision-making Ultimately, forecasting isn't about being right. It's about helping organisations make better decisions with imperfect information. Join me as I unpack the realities, frustrations and misconceptions surrounding one of the most important disciplines in Workforce Management.

    32 min

  2. May 29

    Capacity Planning

    In this episode, I explore one of the most misunderstood disciplines in Workforce Management: Capacity Planning. Is it simply another name for Budget Planning, or is there something more strategic going on beneath the spreadsheets and staffing models? I discuss the realities of balancing customer demand, operational performance, employee wellbeing, and financial constraints. Along the way, I examine why behaviours such as "padding" can emerge during budget season, the role trust plays between Finance and Operations, and why Capacity Planning often acts as the mediator between competing business priorities. Most importantly, I challenge the idea that Capacity Planning is purely a mathematical exercise. If forecasting and staffing were the only variables, the process could be fully automated. Instead, Capacity Planning remains a fundamentally human discipline because uncertainty, risk, judgement, and organisational behaviour will always need to be managed. Whether you're a WFM professional, operational leader, or simply curious about how organisations prepare for the future, this episode offers a practical and honest look at the art and science of Capacity Planning.

    43 min

  3. May 23

    What Is WFM Anyway?

    Workforce Management gets talked about a lot, but what does it actually mean in the real world? In this episode, I break down what WFM really is, how it works in practice, and why it’s such a critical (and often misunderstood) part of any operation. No jargon. No theory for the sake of it. Just a practical look at the reality behind the role.

    25 min

  4. May 20

    Why I’m Starting This Podcast After 90 LinkedIn Posts

    After nearly 90 weekly LinkedIn posts, I realised something ... I had more to say than would fit into a post. In this first episode, I explain why I’ve decided to start a podcast, what you can expect from it, and who it’s really for. I’ve spent over 20 years working in workforce management, building teams, solving operational challenges, and trying to make sense of the reality behind planning, forecasting, and leadership in contact centres. This podcast is an extension of those conversations. No corporate jargon. No theory for the sake of it. Just practical insights, real experiences, and honest discussions about what actually works ... and what doesn’t. If you work in WFM, operations, or leadership, and you’ve ever felt that the reality of the job doesn’t quite match the theory, this is for you.

    8 min
  • 4 Episodes

About

Workforce Management is often described through numbers, forecasts and KPIs — but behind every spreadsheet is a human story. Hosted by Anthony Brady, this podcast explores the real-world side of Workforce Management, operations leadership, contact centres and business transformation. Drawing from 20+ years at companies including eBay, PayPal, Accenture and WhatsApp, Anthony shares practical insights, honest reflections and conversations about leadership, workplace culture, operational reality and surviving corporate life with your sense of humour intact.

Information

  • Creator
    Anthony Brady
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Anthony Brady
  • Show Website
    The Brád-Cast